Timothy M. McCrystal
Partner
Tim McCrystal is the co-chair of the health care practice group. Tim has over thirty years of experience advising health care and life sciences companies and investors on cutting-edge regulatory matters and transactions. Most recently, Tim has been counseling clients impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing critical guidance around issues related to operational preparedness and business continuity planning, among others. Additionally, Tim has been advising clients on novel regulatory issues related to the expansion of telehealth to improve access to care.
Tim has extensive experience in structuring and negotiating health care affiliations, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, hospital-physician relationships, medical practice acquisitions, formation and reorganization of multi-institutional health care systems. He is also recognized as a leading practitioner in structuring innovative value-based health care arrangements and initiatives, including novel business models and structures designed to foster the entry of non-traditional players into the health care industry.
Tim is also a recognized expert in the field of privacy and cybersecurity. He regularly advises clients on the full array of data privacy, protection and security matters relating to the HIPAA privacy and security rules. Tim has represented clients in highly publicized settlements with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights stemming from alleged data breaches relating to the loss or theft of protected health information.
Publications
- Profiled, “Go To Lawyers in Healthcare & Life Sciences 2022,” Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (May 31, 2022)
- Profiled, “Health Care Practice Group of the Year: Ropes & Gray,” Law360 (February 1, 2022)
- Quoted, “Payers Face Tough Decisions on Telehealth and More in 2021” Financial Times Health Payer Specialist (January 4, 2021)
- Co-author, “Legal and Business Risks in Health-Care Transactions,” Bloomberg Law (September 25, 2020)
- Quoted, “What To Watch As COVID-19 Cash Crunch Fuels Hospital M&A,” Law360 (May 15, 2020)
- Co-author, “6 Ways Lawmakers Could Address COVID-19 Liability For Cos.,” Law360 (May 1, 2020)
- Co-author, “How To Determine Eligibility for HHS Emergency Funds,” Law360 (April 24, 2020)
- Co-author, "Healthcare Fund Focus: Ten Things Fund Managers Should Know About Value-Based Care” Lexis Practice Advisor (March 9, 2020)
- Featured, “Health Care Group Of The Year: Ropes & Gray,” Law360 (January 28, 2020)
- Co-author, “Vertical Integration and Firewalls in Health Care Transactions,” Bloomberg Law (June 19, 2019)
- Quoted, “Mergers and Acquisitions, Private Equity in Healthcare Primed for Continued Robust Activity,” Healthcare Finance (May 6, 2019)
- Quoted, “How Betsy Van Hecke Builds on Medtronic’s Mission,” American Healthcare Leader (January 7, 2019)
- Co-author, “DOJ Complaint Names Private Equity Firm as Defendant in False Claims Act Case Targeting Health Care Portfolio Company,” Ropes & Gray Alert (March 23, 2018)
- Podcast, “Harvard’s Value-Based Healthcare Conference,” WCBS-AM New York News Radio (March 2, 2018)
- Co-author, “Extraterritorial Effect of the GDPR and Implications for U.S. Academic Medical Centers Treating EU Patients,” Bloomberg BNA’s Medical Law & Research Policy Report (November 1, 2017)
- Co-author, “Is the Current Anti-Kickback Enforcement Environment Stifling Innovation in Health Care?” Bloomberg BNA’s Health Law Reporter (August 10, 2017)
- Co-author, “Compliance And The Transition To Value-Based Care,” Law360 (May 31, 2017)
- Co-author, “Value-Based Health Care: 10 Things Investors Should Know,” Law360 (May 10, 2017)
- Quoted, “Prioritizing Healthcare Data Security in Aggregation, Sharing,” Health IT Security (April 19, 2017)
- Co-author, “What’s Ahead for Value-Based Health Care,” Law360 (March 1, 2017)
- Quoted, “6 Ways To Be A Go-To Firm For HIPAA Compliance,” Law360 (April 29, 2016)
- Quoted, “New HIPAA audits will target healthcare industry's business partners,” Modern Healthcare (March 21, 2016)
- “Data Security And State Health Insurance Exchanges,” Law360 (November 2013)
- “Security Rule Audits on the Way; Time to Invest in Technology Safeguards,” Healthcare Financial Management (February 2012)
Presentations
- Moderator, “Investing in U.S. Private Equity—Healthcare Sector Focus,” at the 11th Annual Private Equity New York Forum (May 15, 2023)
- Panelist, “Value-Based Care 2.0: What Lies Ahead?” Ropes & Gray’s health care group virtual conference (June 22—23, 2022)
- Panel Moderator, “Talking Telehealth: Shaping Your Investment Strategy,” Ropes & Gray Virtual Panel (November 12, 2020)
- Panel Moderator, “The Rise of Disruptors and the Changing Face of Deal Activity,” Ropes & Gray’s From the Boardroom Seminar, San Francisco, CA (January 12, 2020)
- Speaker, “Impact of value-based agreements on the diagnostic market,” Q1 Productions, 13th Semi-annual Diagnostic Coverage & Reimbursement Conference, Boston, MA (December 7, 2019)
- Moderator, “Value-Based Health Care: Emerging Business Models & Legal Risks,” Consero Healthcare General Counsel Forum (October 29, 2018)
- Moderator, “A Global Reach: Considering International Affiliations,” Consero Healthcare General Counsel Forum (October 29, 2018)
- Presenter, “Value-Based Health Care: Contracting Opportunities and Challenges for the Pharmaceutical Industry,” BIO General Counsel’s Committee Forum (April 12, 2018)
- Panelist, “Innovative Business Models in the Emerging Value-based Health Care Landscape,” Will Value-based Care Save the Health Care System? Conference at Harvard Law School Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics (March 2, 2018)
- Panelist, “Healthcare Ransomware and Cybersecurity Incidents: Prevention, Response and Analysis,” Ropes & Gray Privacy & Cybersecurity Summit (February 2018)
- Presenter, “Emerging Trends in Health Care Joint Ventures,” AHLA Annual Meeting (June 2014)
- Presenter, “Odd Bed Fellows: The Emerging of Non-Traditional Alliances in the Healthcare Market,” Health Care Law & Compliance Institute (March 2014)
- Presenter, "The New Standard for Breach Under the Final Rule: Addressing and Identifying Incidents, Protections, Obligations and Liabilities," American Conference 3rd Annual HIPAA/HITECH Conference, American Conference Institute (May 2013)
- Moderator, “Federal Update on HIPAA and HITECH Privacy and Security Enforcement,” Boston Bar Association (April 2013)
- “Managing the Risk of Data Breaches and Preparing for Security Audits: Lessons Learned from the Field,” NACUA Annual Conference (June 2012)
- “OCR HIPAA Audits and Responding to Breaches,” AHLA Annual Meeting (June 2012)
- “HIPAA Audits – Guidance from the Past, Insights for the Future,” Coalfire Webinar (February 2012)
- “Breach: Incidents, Protections, Obligations and Liabilities,” Health Care Information Privacy and Security Forum (December 2011)
Education
- JD, Suffolk University Law School, 1989
- BA, Colby College, 1984
Admissions / Qualifications
Qualifications
- Massachusetts, 1989
Awards
- Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Go-To Lawyers in Healthcare & Life Sciences (2022)
- Boston Magazine “Top Lawyers” (2021)
- The National Law Journal, Trailblazer (2019)
- Legal 500 (2014-2016, 2018, 2020)
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2014-2023)
- The Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year” - Health Care Law (2020)
- The Best Lawyers in America (2007-2017, 2019-2023)